When we travel, our brains are subjected to new stimuli of all kinds. This could potentially put us into learning mode – once you get into that mode, the brain absorbs stuff like a sponge. It works out differently for different people – some people remember routes even though they’ve gone to a place only once, some remember things they saw in vivid detail, some remember smells and some remember sounds. It is instant teleportation.

For example, an Indian travelling to Europe for the first time has many things to be astonished about – the cleanliness, lane discipline on the roads, the weather (sorry Bangalore folks, I don’t think we can boast about it anymore), to quote a few. 

Going by the above definition, it is clear that any new experience can trigger this sort of plasticity in the brain. Which explains why some sights, sounds and smells can take us back to the place where we first experienced them – travelling through time and space. In this blog, I’ll take you on a journey through a few songs which take me back to some places.